Luggage case



Aug. 30, 1960 w. s. AXTELL LUGGAGE CASE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 28, 1957 INVENTOR.

W/LL/JRD G AXTELL BY ATTORNEY Aug. 30, 1960 w. G. AXTELL LUGGAGE CASE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 28, 1957 INVENTOR. W/LLAED 6. AXTELL A TTOR/VE) LUGGAGE CASE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 28, 1957 M. Rfi mx 0 m n 3 V W G D m 8 2 5 5 W I O 4 5 2 a N L b F MW 5 a F a m 8 BY 4 I H fl A ATTORNEY Patented Aug.3, 19611 Fic LUGGAGE CASE Willard G. Axtell, Denver,

Colo., assignor to Shwayder Bros., Inc., Denver, (1010.,

a corporation of Colorado Filed Aug. 28, 1957, Ser. No. 680,850

6 Claims. (Cl. 190-49) and sewed at the corners of two sections, the sections being generally rectangular or perhaps having other shapes, and often provided with a lining of fabric. In other types of luggage cases, the two sections have been made from panels of plywood or the like, covered with fabric or plastic, with reinforcing plates, hinges, cooperating edge reinforcements, hardware and similar parts being attached thereto. Also, luggage cases have been made in which extruded strips, such as. of aluminum, have extended around the interfitting edges of the two sections. Luggage cases have also been made from two sections formed of metal and drawn to shape, or formed of a fibrous material molded to shape. In the application of Willard G. Axtell, Serial No, 499,069, filed April 4, 1955, now US. Patent 2,832,448, there is disclosed and claimed a luggage case in which the end panels of the two sections are formed of plastic, magnesium or similar material, molded or formed to shape to provide interfitting edges and grooves which receive sheets of light metal, such as magnesium, covered with a wear resistant plastic layer on the outside and providing the sides, top and bottom of the case, with extruded strips forming the interfitting top and bottom edges of the two sections.

Among the objects of the present invention are to provide a novel luggage case; to provide such a luggage case in which at least a substantial proportion of the ends, top and bottom of each section may be formed from a single suitable piece of material and the sides may be formed by panels interfitting therewith or shells attached thereto; to provide such a luggage case which is thus relatively economical to construct; and to provide such a luggage case which will be sufliciently strong to withstand the rigors of hard usage.

Additional objects and novel features of this invention will become apparent from the description which follows, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a luggage case constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a condensed vertical section, on a slightly enlarged scale, taken along line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary cross section taken along line 33 of Fig. 1, with the sections of the luggage case shown slightly apart for clarity of illustration;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section of one section of the luggage case, taken from the position of line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a transverse cross section taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation of a portion of an extruded strip forming a part of the luggage case and illustrating more particularly a wide notch cut at the position which is to be occupied by a corner;

Fig. 7 is a similar fragmentary side elevation illustrating the strip after it is bent around to form the corner, at the position of the notch of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the extruded strip of one of the sections of the luggage case, illustrating the manner in which the strip is spaced apart at the bottom in order to receive a panel;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation, illustrating the strip and panel of Fig. 8 after assembly;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary cross section, similar to Fig. 3, illustrating an alterantive embodiment; and

Fig. 11 is a condensed cross section of a luggage case, illustrating a further alternative embodiment.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, a luggage case constructed in accordance with this invention may comprise two sections having interfitting, complementary edges, the sections being formed by an extruded strip S or S of aluminum or magnesium alloy or other light metal and receiving a flat panel P having rounded corners corresponding to the configuration of the strips S and S. Strip S may be similar to but narrower than strip S, while the strips S and S, when together, form the ends, top and bottom of the luggage case and the panels P form the sides thereof. The luggage case may be provided with suitable hardware, such as including a handle 10, conveniently attached to the strip S by caps 11, between which the handle 10 is pivoted and which may be attached to the strip S in a suitable manner, as by rivets. The hardware may also include a lock 12, which may be installed at the joint between the sections, as on strip S, and may be provided with a latching section 13 inside strip S adapted to engage a catch 14 mounted on the inside of strip S, and a pair of drawbolts 15 mounted on strip S and adapted to hold the case in closed position. The drawbolts 15 are conveniently disposed toward the ends of the case, while the lock 12 is conveniently offset laterally from handle 10, although disposed centrally with respect thereto. The case may also be provided with a pair of hinges 17, which may be attached by rivets at two different positions, such as corresponding to the position of the drawbolts 15, at the bottom of the case end may be piano type hinges which are attached to the strips S and S, as by rivets 18 of Fig. 2. The lock 12, its latching section 13 and catch 14 may be of any suitable conventional construction, while the drawbolts 15 and handle 10 and caps lltherefor may also be of any suitable construction, although handle 10 is conveniently constructed in accordance with the Willard G. Axtell US. Patent No. 2,673,630. It will be understood, of course, that the handle, drawbolts and lock do not form a part of the present invention, while the hinges 17 may extend for any desired distance and at any desired location along the bottom of the case and also may be constructed in any other suitable manner.

The strips S and S, as illustrated more clearly in Fig. 3, may be complementary, the strip S being provided with a head 20 having a tongue '21 and the strip S with a head 22 having a groove 23 adapted to receive the tongue 21, so as to form an interfitting relationship between the strips, not only to provide a seal around the meeting edges of the two case sections, but also to strengthen and render more rigid the case sections when together. To add additional rigidity, each of the strip walls 24 may be provided with a series of ribs 25, conveniently on the inside thereof, and, for decorative purposes, a series of grooves 26, on the outside thereof, the ribs 25 and grooves 26 extending longitudinallyof the respective strip. Adjacent the tongue 21 and groove 23, respectively, each of the strip heads may be provided with a flange 27 adapted to form a groove 28 for receiving a lining for the case, which may be installed in any suitable or conventional manner. Around the outer edge of each-strip, an outwardly flaring bead 30 may extend,

each bead conveniently having on the outside a depending flange 31, with a depending web 32 at the inside of the bead. Flange 31 and web 32 add rigidity to the strip and form between them a groove 33, in which the edge of panel P is received, While web 32 also provides an abutment which is engaged by the panel P. Each of the strips S and S is conveniently formed from a single piece of suitably shaped metal, preferably a light metal, such as aluminum or magnesium alloy and conveniently extruded, each strip being cut to length, then bent around to shape following notching for the corners in a manner described later, and the abutting ends of the strip attached together by a plate which, as in Figs. 4 and 5, may be attached to the abutting ends of the strip in a suitable manner, as by rivets 36, each plate 35 resting against the ribs 25 and the rivets 36 preferably being interspaced with the ribs. The plate 35 is conveniently formed of a relatively strong material, such as steel, although it may be formed of any other suitable material. As in Figs. 2 and 9, a relatively thin strap 37, such as about 0.025 inch in thickness and about one inch Wide may. be attached, as by rivets, between the upper and lower webs 32 so as to strengthen the luggage case. The straps 37 prevent the upper portion of the strips S and S from moving upwardly and the lower portions thereof from moving downwardly due to the forces imposed; thereon in the event that the luggage case is accidentally dropped, thereby also preventing the ends of the strips S and S from moving inwardly and outwardly, due to the vibration effect of dropping.

Each of the panels P may be formed of a sheet ditof metal, such as aluminum or magnesium alloy, or may be formed of plywood or other suitable non-metallic material, in each instance provided with a layer 41 of a plastic or the like which is highly resistant to wear, such as a calendered, semirigid polyvinyl plastic. If desired, the plastic layer ill may be embossed so as to produce the effect of leather, or other decorative effect, in a conventional manner. With the sheet of each panel P flat, the plastic layer may be bonded thereto by a suitable resin, accompanied by heat and pressure. In the event that the sheet 40 is metal, the plastic layer may be bonded thereto while the metal is in strip form, after which the panels P may be cut to shape from the strip. However, when the sheet 40 is formed of plywood, the sheet is preferably formed to shape before the plastic 41 is adhered thereto, although a larger sheet of plywood may be covered with a plastic layer on one side and each panel P cut out from the same. As will be evident, by utilizing a flat panel P, the plastic layer 41 may be more readily adhered to the sheet 40, irrespective of whether the sheet is metal of plywood, so that it is unnecessary to bend any panel P to any particular curvature or other configuration, which might introduce difliculties in either applying the plastic layer to the sheet or in bending it to shape after its adherence there- In order to facilitate bending around to the desired shape the preferably extruded strip from which the strips S and S are made, a relatively wide notch 45, as in Fig. 6, may be cut in the web 32 of each strip S and S, at positions corresponding to the four corners of the case. The sides 47 and 46 of the notch may be inclined at a suitable angle, such as 45, with their inner edges a distance apart corresponding to the arc of curvature at the corner, as will be evident from Fig. 7. The wide notch 45 need only be cut to a depth such that, at the notch, the web 32 will have a depth approximately that of the outer flange 31, since the strip will tend to bend around the corner about wall 24 as an axis, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6. Preferably, the groove 33, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6, extends beyond the center line of wall 24, while the depth of the flange 31 is conveniently such that it is disposed approximately half on one side of the centerv line of wall Mend approximately half on the other. Thus, when bending around a corner, as to the position of Fig. 7, the flange 31 will bend readily as will also the portion of web 32 at the notch 45. However, without the notches 45, the web 32 might tend to buckle when bent around the corners, or interfere with the bending operation.

Preferably, each strip Sand S is not bent to final form, but the upper corners are left flared slightly outwardly at notches 45, and the lower corners bent to as in Fig. 8. Thus, the abutting ends of the strip will be separated by a gap, as shown, and in this position, the panel P, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8, can be slid over the gap and into the groove 33 at the top and at each side. With the strip in the position shown in Fig. 8, the lower edge of the panel P will clear the inside of flange 31, so that the strip S or S can then be closed, as to the position of Fig. 9, in which the edges of panel P will engage groove 33 around the periphery thereof and the plate 35 can then be riveted to the abutting ends of the strip. The holes for the rivets 36, and the holes for the rivets which attach the hinges 17, handle caps 11 and drawbolts 15, as well as the holes for the lock 12, catch 14 and drawbolt pins, may be formed, as by punching or drilling, while strip S or S is still fiat, i.e., prior to bending. The notches 45, at the position of each of the corners of the case, may be sheared from the respective web 32, or formed in any other suitable manner, either before or after the holes for rivets and other parts to be attached to the case are punched or drilled.

In the alternative embodiment illustrated in Fig. 10, strips Sn and 8a are adapted to form the ends, top and bottom of the case and to receive panels P which form the sides of the case. Strip Sa may be provided with a head 20' having a tongue 21 and a flange 27 adapted to provide a groove 28 to receive the lining of the case, while strip Sa' may be provided with a head 22 having a groove 23 and a flange 27 providing a groove 28 for a similar purpose. The wall 24' of each of the strips may be smooth and flat, as shown, although ribs similar to ribs 25 of Fig. 3 may be provided, if desired. Each of the strips may also be provided with a head 30' having a slightly different configuration than the bead 30 of Fig. 3, but preferably flaring outwardly to provide additional protection for the edges of the panels P and similarly provided with a depending outer flange 31', while 21 depending web 32 may be located at the inner edge of the head, with flange 31 and web 32, as before, form-- ing between them a groove 33 for receiving the edges of the panel P. Each of the strips is adapted to receive a strip 50 of plastic or the like, such as a calendered, semi-rigid polyvinyl plastic, which may be colored and embossed with any suitable pattern, such as to simulate leather. The edges of plastic strips 50 are received in. opposed grooves provided by a flange 51 on head 20' and 22. respectively, and a flange 52 adjacent the bead 30, respectively. The strips 50 need not be otherwise locked in position, since the rivets which attach the plates holding together the abutting ends of-the strips, similar to the plates 35 of Figs. 4 and 5, will thereby hold the strips 50 securely in position. Also, the rivets by which the hinges are attached, as well as the rivets by which the,

handle cap 11 and drawbolts 15 are attached to the case, extend through the top of one or both strips 50, thereby additionally holding the strips 50 in position. The embodiment of Fig. 10 may be otherwise similar to; the embodiment of Fig. 1. The strips 50 are conveniently slipped into the grooves formed by the flanges 51 and 52 while the strips Sa and 3a are flat, the rivet holes being conveniently punched through the strips50 as well as the strips Sa and So, after or before which the notches 45 may be formed. As before, the strips Sa and and Sa' may be bent around to the position of strip S of Fig. 8, followed by insertion of the respective panel P and closure oftheextruded strips, then attachment of the plates 35, as before. As will be evident, the strips 50 are in a relatively protected position, so that they will not be damaged by bending the strips around to the shape shown in Fig. 8. It will be noted that the strips S, S, Sn and Sa' extend laterally a sufiicient distance to provide attachment for the handle, hinges and closing means, such as drawbolts 15 and lock 12. Also, the strips Sa and Sa' extend laterally a sufiicient distance to receive the, strips 50.

The case may also be provided with a pad or partition, hinged at the botom of the case, while appropriate devices for holding the pad or partition in place may be secured on the inside of the top of the respective case section. The lining is preferably installed last, while the hinges 17 may be attached to the two sections of the case either after or before the hardware, such as the handle, drawbolts and locks, are installed. Instead of the strips S and S receiving side panels P, the sides of the luggage case, as in Fig. 11, may be formed by concave, dished shells 55 and 56, formed of magnesium or other light alloy or metal suitably formed or drawn to shape and conveniently provided with a wear resistant layer 57, on the outside, of plastic or other suitable material. Such shells may be attached to the strips S and S in any suitable manner, as by counter-sunk head rivets 58, in which case the rivet heads will be covered by the strips 50.

Although a specific embodiment of this invention has been illustrated and described with particularity and alternative embodiments also illustrated and/or described, it will be understood that other embodiments may exist and that various changes may be made therein, all without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A luggage case including two opposed concave sections which meet at the edges thereof when said case is closed and having corners, each said section comprising a strip extending around the confronting edge of the respective section and provided with a transverse, inwardly extending web adjacent the lateral outer edge thereof and a groove outwardly of said web, said strip being bent around to form the top, bottom and ends of said case section and said web being provided with a notch at each corner to accommodate bending of said strip around said corner; and a side panel received in said groove.

2. A luggage case including two opposed concave sections which meet at the edges thereof when said case is closed, each said section comprising a strip extending around the confronting edge of the respective section and provided with a transverse, inwardly extending web adjacent the lateral outer edge thereof and a groove outwardly of said web, said strip being bent around to form the top, bottom and ends of said case section; a side panel received in said groove; and a strap attached at each end to said web and extending across said case section adjacent said panel.

3. A luggage case including two opposed concave sections which meet at the edges thereof when said case is closed and having corners, each said section comprising a unitary strip extending around the confronting edge of the respective section and provided with a transverse, inwardly extending web adjacent the lateral outer edge thereof and a groove outwardly of said web,

said strip being bent around to form the top, bottom and ends of said case section and the meeting ends of said strip being disposed at the bottom of said case section, and said web being provided with a notch at each corner to accommodate bending of said strip around said corner; a plate connecting the meeting ends of said strip; and a side panel received in said groove.

4. In a luggage case including two opposed concave sections which meet at the edges thereof when said case is closed, each said section comprising a strip formed of metallic material which extends around the confronting edge of said section, each said strip being of substantial lateral extent and provided with means to interfit with the opposite strip and each said strip being provided with a shallow, longitudinally extending recess in the outer surface thereof; a layer of non-metallic, wear resistant material disposed in said shallow recess of each strip; a concave shell associated with each strip and completing the exterior of the respective case section; and a series of rivets attaching each said shell to the respective strip, the heads of said rivets being disposed in said shallow recess and covered by the non-metallic layer disposed therein.

5. A luggage case as defined in claim 4, wherein each said shell comprises a concave metal shell provided on the outside with a layer of non-metallic, wear resistant material.

6. A luggage case comprising two opposed concave sections which meet at the edges thereof when the case is closed, each said section comprising a strip of substantial lateral extent and formed of metallic material, which extends around the confronting edge of said section and has a longitudinally extending, shallow recess in the outer surface thereof, said strip being provided with means to interfit with the opposite strip when the case is closed; a layer of non-metallic material disposed in said recess; a concave shell for each section; means attaching the edge of each said shell to the corresponding strip and disposed beneath the corresponding nonmetallic layer; hinge means pivotally connecting said sections together along one edge thereof; and releasable means for connecting said sections together at the opposite edge thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 20 Steiner Dec. 20, 1837 455,612 Farmer July 7, 1891 585,774 Morgenthaler July 6, 1897 837,301 Hiering et a1 Dec. 4, 1906 1,897,887 Braverman Feb. 14, 1933 2,200,972 Stein May 14, 1940 2,454,366 Worley Nov. 23, 1948 2,510,643 Long June 6, 1950 2,610,715 Plotkin Sept. 16, 1952 2,716,473 Droutman Aug. 30, 1955 2,828,844 Arlitt Apr. 1, 1958 2,829,745 Heitler Apr. 8, 1958 2,832,448 Axtell Apr. 29, 1958 2,847,100 Hotchner Aug. 12, 1958 2,861,661 Heitler Nov. 25, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 827,229 Germany Feb. 21, 1952 

